Each assembly/machine instruction has a unique value which indicates what operation is to be performed, what addressing mode, etc. Typically one of these codes or bit(s) within the code would indicate if this were a 16 bit code. In this way, if the CPU received an 8 bit code with no extension for 16 bit mode, it would run the 8 bit code (assuming that when 8 bits instructions were written it didn't have to be future/forward compatible).
The difference between a 32 bit and 64 bit CPU is the speed in which a computer will read and process the information. A 64 bit CPU will read much quicker and can handle the memory usage better than a 32 bit.
Basically it has to do with the size of the chunks of information handled by the CPU (the computer's processor). The 64-bit chunks are obviously twice the size of 32-bit chunks and a CPU on a 64-bit system can work faster.
64bit, It can use more than 3gb of ram, while 32bit can utilise only 3gb.
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No, there were no 4-bit consoles. The 2600 uses the 8-bit 6507 CPU and an 8-bit bus.
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Depends on CPU. Atom 230, for example, is 64-bit.
No you literally can not multitask with a single CPU, since one CPU can only process one task at a time, because with your 32-bit and 64-bit OS the OS allots CPU time to the application for a specific time then the OS preempts the processing to give the CPU to another application, the programs may appear to be multitasking but they are not, that is called preemptive multitasking.
amd althon
The terms 32-bit and 64-bit refer to the way a computer's processor (also called a CPU), handles information. The 64-bit version handles large amounts of random access memory (RAM) more effectively than a 32-bit system.
GameCube is NOT 128-bit, and Wii is NOT 256-bit. 360 is NOT 360-bit. Nintendo 64's CPU is a derivative of the 64-bit MIPS Technologies R4300i (which is where the rabbits in Super Mario 64 got their name, MIPS) -- i.e. uses a 64-bit CPU GameCube's CPU is 64-bit (thus making the GameCube a 64-bit console) The Wii's CPU is also 64-bit. I.e. the Nintendo 64, GameCube and Wii are all "64-bit". The Xbox is also 64-bit As is the PlayStation 2. The PlayStation 3 has a CPU with a single word size of 32-bit. Xbox360's CPU has a 256-bit bus. To be really honest, I have no idea what I'm talking about. But it's not simple to simply say "The GameCube is a 128-bit console". Because "OMG it haz betar grafix" does NOT mean it has "more bits".
The fundamental difference between a 32-bit and 64-bit microprocessor is what their names suggest: the size of the basic integer operations, also called the 'native' size of a CPU's calculations. The native size of a CPU determines a whole bunch of related characteristics.For instance, all integer calculations are done using the native size; this matters in terms of performance for several reasons:if you add two integers smaller than the native size, it requires only a single operation.if you add two integers larger than the native size, you must perform 3 operations (add the upper values, add the lower values, then combine).For instance, if you wanted to add two 20-bit numbers, on both the 32-bit CPU and 64-bit CPU it would require a single operation. However, if you wanted to add two 40-bit numbers, it would require only 1 operation on a 64-bit CPU, but 3 operations on a 32-bit CPU.The native size of a CPU also determines things like the maximum addressable memory - thus, a 32-bit CPU can address up to 2^32 = 4GB of memory, while a 64-bit system can address up to 16 Exabytes. It also determines the minimum size of information that has to be processed - when fetching information from caches and memory, no operation can be done with information less than the native size. Thus, 64-bit CPUs are more demanding on memory subsystems, as they need to process information in 64-bit chunks, rather than 32-bit ones.